


Delaying the Inevitable

by liaromancewriter



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Baseball, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 23:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30012345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liaromancewriter/pseuds/liaromancewriter
Summary: This is a retelling of the diamond scene from Open Heart book 1, chapter 5 when Ethan and MC are in the private box at the baseball game…from Ethan’s perspective.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart), Ethan Ramsey/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 9





	Delaying the Inevitable

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve often wondered what Ethan Ramsey and MC talked about as the baseball game unfolded and the sun sunk lower in the sky. Characters and some of the dialogue belong to Pixelberry.
> 
> Pairing: Ethan Ramsey and Cassie Valentine, Open Heart.

  


Ethan Ramsey could think of at least 10 other things he could be doing than spending the afternoon at Fenway Park with a bunch of vultures from Banner Health. He had been distracted by a certain intern who was completing paperwork on the other side of the nurses’ station when Harper had asked him to accompany her to this meeting at their private box. He’d said yes without meaning to and now he was stuck. 

It wouldn’t have been so bad if Harper hadn’t been pulled away for an emergency consult at Edenbrook. He would have just let her do all the talking and nodded or added a word here and there when required. Now, it was all on him and he would rather have a root canal without anaesthetic. He knew he was stalling when he ordered one more drink before heading upstairs, but he frankly didn’t care. It was one more moment that he could use figuring out what he was going to about his intern problem, namely one intern – Cassie Valentine. 

Ever since the night they’d stayed up to watch over Dolores’s baby, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. He’d thought that what he’d felt the first moment he’d seen her was a fluke, but after Dolores he couldn’t keep lying to himself. Something was happening and as the more experienced party it was up to him to stop it. He just didn’t know how. All these years of seeing interns come and go and all it took was one to shake his world. On top of what was happening with Naveen, he just couldn’t…

“Dr. Ramsey? What a small world.”

Ethan inwardly flinched as he heard the familiar voice break through his thoughts. He looked up to see Cassie walking toward him, looking entirely too appealing in a sports jersey and shorts.

“Some might say too small,” he said, finally looking up to meet her eyes.

She smiled at that. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m merely doing what all doctors do…delaying the inevitable.” He said the last few words almost in a whisper.

“Wait…what?” 

She looked confused and he didn’t blame her. What was he doing? He looked around making sure no one from Banner Health was nearby as the entrance to the private box elevator was just behind them. 

“I was invited here by the executives of Banner Health.”

“The health insurance company?”

“The administration is negotiating our contract renewal with Banner,” he explained. “Chief Emery insisted I accompany her as they essentially bribe us in their private box suite.”

“You and Chief Emery are up in a box? Cool!” Cassie’s cheerful reply was Ethan’s undoing and an idea started to formulate in his head.

“Well, it’s just me now. Harper was called back for an emergency, so I’m fending off the vultures on my own.” He could feel his frustration leaking. “They’re trying to butter me up with lobster, fine wine, all the ridiculous luxuries they can afford. It’s terrible.”

“Um, that sounds pretty alright to me,” she looked at him quizzically as if she wasn’t sure what the issue was. 

Ethan sighed deeply. “It may surprise you to hear. I’m not one for…schmoozing.”

At that, a huge grin broke across her face and he could see the mischievous sparkle in her green eyes. “You? Noooo…”

He wondered if he was losing his mind but made the ask before he could stop himself. 

“As much as it humiliates me to ask a favor of an intern…would you…join me upstairs?” He pushed when he sensed she might be getting ready to refuse. “I won’t keep you long. I just don’t think I could survive with them on my own.”

He breathed a sigh of relief when she agreed to be his wingman or wingwoman, he supposed. He led her to the elevator before she…or he… could change their minds. Soon they were upstairs standing at the entrance of the luxurious box, the team from Banner Health standing near the buffet, drinks in their hand while other guests spread out across the couches and cushioned stadium seats watching the activity in the field below. 

“I could get used to this.”

“God forbid,” he muttered but he wondered if he wasn’t being an ungrateful ass. To an intern who was 200K in debt, it would certainly appear that way. It wasn’t that long ago when he was in her position. 

The view of the game from the box was spectacular and it wouldn’t hurt to take a few moments with Cassie after their business was done. After all, he didn’t want to her feel like he was using her without any benefit. She might never get a chance to enjoy something like this.

“Here.” He poured her a large glass of an expensive looking malbec. She looked like the type to appreciate red wine. He poured one for himself too and raised his glass in a toast. “To surviving the insipid people in our industry without having an aneurysm.”

Cassie didn’t salute his toast, taking a sip of her wine instead. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about. Great view, great wine, lobster and steak at a baseball game? This is the life!”

“That’s what they want. To seduce you. To convince you to think like them. Don’t let become about the money.” 

He hoped she wouldn’t. She had such a brilliant mind and an empathy for patients he hadn’t seen in many years. He couldn’t let her be taken in by the perks and incessantly needing to please their insurance overlords while leaving patient care behind. He’d seen too many good doctors lose their way because of it.

“Of course, it’s not about the money.” he watched her take in the view. “It’s about the patients. But I can enjoy the perks, right?” 

“Of course, you can. I encourage you to milk them for everything they’re worth.” He smiled as she raised her glass in his direction. “I’m just warning you. I’ve seen too many good doctors change their priorities. Doctors who would’ve sworn they’d be the last to do such a thing.”

“Ethan! Ethan, there you are!” 

Ethan forced himself to smile as he turned to the Banner Health executive that had called out his name. 

“You have a terrible poker face.” She grinned as she said it.

This time his smile was genuine. “What do you want from me? I’m a doctor, not an actor!”

He quickly explained to Cassie what the hospital wanted as the executives walked over. She nodded once and then he was introducing her to the group. 

“She is one of our most promising young doctors. The next generation of medicine, in fact.”

He watched her charm the executives, being polite and attentive; he couldn’t have been prouder. She deftly got him out of a tee time, and he could have kissed her just for that. He glanced at her briefly and for a split second he let what he felt for her show – approval and maybe a hint of something more. She met his gaze, unblinking, before turning her attention to the executives.

Soon they were exchanging numbers and Ethan found himself surprised once again when Cassie turned into a ruthless negotiator. She talked about percentage points, pay for performance, value-based reimbursement and better rates on cardiac services. Every time someone from Banner Health talked about monetization, she pivoted the discussion to deferring the cost of patient care and made it seem like the idea came from the executives themselves. 

She really was the next generation of medicine. He couldn’t remember a single intern having enough knowledge of business, let alone turning the tables on a national insurance carrier in their first few weeks on the job. He found himself once again wondering about the puzzle that was Dr. Cassie Valentine. He tuned into the conversation as the negotiations appeared to have reached the end and he found himself shaking their hands.

Before he knew it, he and Cassie were alone. “Good job squeezing them at the end.”

“Our patients would have suffered otherwise,” she answered as if it were obvious. It was to him, but it was nice to hear someone else share his perspective. “So, we’re done?”

They were, but he didn’t want to let her go just yet. “With the business, yes. Though I suppose we could stay and enjoy the game for a while.” Please say yes, he thought.

“I have some time before my friends expect me back.”

“Can I get you more wine?”

“Yes, please. Pinot noir if they have it.”

Ethan made his way to the bar, ordering a scotch for himself and red wine for her. He saw her texting as he walked back with their drinks and wondered if she was giving her friends an update. He hoped she kept him out of it. The last thing he wanted was to be part of the hospital gossip grapevine. He placed the wine glass on the table in front of her and took his seat, turning slightly toward her. She was smiling as her fingers ran over the screen.

She put the phone away and took a sip of her wine. He knew what was coming when she beamed at him. For some reason seeing each other outside the hospital was making him think they could be different people. For one hour he wanted to believe that they had met under different circumstances; in this one he wasn’t her boss, and she wasn’t almost 10 years his junior.

“One of our most promising doctors.” The mischief was back in her eyes. 

“Stop.” 

“The future of medicine.” She was laughing at him and he let her.

“Well, I couldn’t very well introduce you as a colossal pain in my ass, now could I?” He teased back. There was something about her that brought out the smart aleck in him. Before he knew it, he was asking the question that had been nagging him all day.

“Why have you not entered the competition for the fellowship?”

“Were you hoping I would?” How did he know she would turn this around on him? The skillful way she’d managed the Banner Health executives had been eye opening.

“It’s unbecoming to flatter yourself, Rookie.” He used the nickname thinking how he hadn’t had one for any other intern before her. Whenever he used it, he was reminded of when they first met.

“You were hoping, weren’t you?”

“Not in the slightest. It’s a mystery, and I cannot resist a mystery. Nothing more.”

“I think you care because we’re becoming friends.”

“Absolutely not.” He denied it even as he knew it was true. They were becoming friends and, at least on his side, maybe something more.

“You’re just delaying the inevitable.” She smirked as she played his words back to him.

“…As all doctors must.” He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. Something about her made him years younger.

“Will you answer another question for me?” He said after they watched the game play out on the field below them. His curiosity about her was in full force as he thought back to the discussion with the Banner Health reps. “How do you know so much about contract negotiations? It’s not a standard course in med school.”

He watched her as she thought about his question. It wasn’t a complicated one, but for some reason she seemed reluctant to answer him. She watched him over the rim of her wine glass and then appeared to come to a decision.

“No, it wasn’t part of the standard curriculum at John Hopkins, but it was at Wharton.”

He stood still at that. There was only one reason why someone would go to Wharton and it wasn’t for a lark.

“Before I was accepted to med school, I was finishing my MBA in international business at Wharton. It’s a Valentine family tradition, I’m afraid.”

“What made you change careers?” He was impressed and intrigued at the same time. Cassie Valentine was a mystery, and he would get to the bottom of her.

“You did.” Her cheeks were flush as if embarrassed, but her green eyes never wavered from his. “I read your book and it was like the world suddenly made sense. Your papers on systemic amyloidosis, Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome, spinocerebellar ataxia…You inspired me to go to med school.”

“Flattery, Rookie? I know I’ve told you before I can’t be bribed into favoring you.” He heard the sincerity in her voice, but he wasn’t ready for things to be serious between them. He wanted the light-hearted banter from earlier.

“And I believe I said, you already do,” she laughed and finished her wine. “You better hope you don’t run into my grandfather. He hasn’t forgiven me for turning my back on the family business and he blames you completely.”

“Oh?” This was the first time she had mentioned her family, not that he had given her opportunities to do so before. Their roles at the hospital meant there was a barrier between them, one that he had encouraged because of his initial reaction to her.

“In my family, we take tradition and loyalty very seriously. I’m now the black sheep and it’s all your fault.” He knew she was teasing him, and he couldn’t help but smile. He had likely smiled more today than in the last few weeks and it was the Cassie Valentine effect.

“Should I watch my six?”

“And your three, nine and twelve. Valentines don’t mess around.”

Her phone pinged before he could respond. “It’s my friends. They’re wondering where I am.”

“Yes, of course.” He knew he should let her go. They’d been up here a while and he needed to head back to the hospital. 

“Thank you for the assist, Dr. Valentine.” He knew he sounded stiff, but it was time to put the barrier back up again.

She smirked at his tone but followed his lead. “You’re welcome, Dr. Ramsey. See you later.” 

They walked back to the elevator and he pressed the call button. When it came, she stepped inside and turned to face him. He kept his eyes on hers as the doors slowly closed and didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until she was no longer visible. 

It was going to be a difficult year no matter how he looked at it. 


End file.
